“What about her fiancé?”
“David? They’re still a couple, but they’re not living together, and Steph insisted on putting the engagement on hold. She did a lot of thinking in that basement. She took a long, hard look at her life and decided she wasn’t sure she wants the same things David does.”
“Like what?”
“The big wedding, for starters. But her main problem was David’s resolve to start a family right away. Steph isn’t ready. In fact, she doesn’t know if she even wants kids. She feels she’s been wasting her life being what she calls ‘a flake,’ although I’ve always thought of her as a free spirit. She’s determined to go back to college and get a degree in graphic design. She’s applying to art schools and looking for work she can continue part-time after school starts in the fall. She’s completely turning her life around. And she wants to be well on her way before she gets married.”
“Good for her!” Sue said. “Maybe something positive came from her terrible experience.”
“I think it did.” Nicole said. Behind Sue, Hattie Longelle and her companions had gotten up and were starting to file out. One man remained seated to settle the bill before following the others. He and Hattie, who’d been seated together, had been demonstrably affectionate. He was bald and at least twice the actress’s age. Nicole recognized him from the news as one of the top agents with CAA. He was probably Hattie’s agent, as well as her boyfriend.
That evening, Nicole and Steph had just finished dinner and were thinking about going to a movie when the doorbell rang. Nicole was surprised to see Greg Arnault standing there.
Nicole was so surprised to see him that she stared at him for a very long moment without speaking.
“Are you going to invite me in?” Arnault said. “I’d like to talk to you.”
“Sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.” She opened the door wider and motioned him in.
Just then, Stephanie came in from the kitchen, where she’d just finished doing the dishes, a chore she and Nicole alternated. At the sight of Arnault, Steph tactfully headed toward the hall. “I’ll be in my room,” she called back.
Nicole led Arnault into the living room. She gestured him toward the couch, while she settled into her favorite overstuffed chair.
After they were seated, she said, “What’s up? Is it about the case? Did you catch Ashley?”
“I’m afraid not,” he said. “But I’m not here about work. It’s because I can’t stop thinking about you. I’d like to start seeing you, get to know you better. If you’re not interested, just say so, and I’ll leave.”
She hesitated. She was interested, but she had the feeling that it would end badly, and she didn’t need another heartbreak.
There was an awkward silence. Finally, Arnault got up. “Maybe you need time to think about it.”
Despite her doubts, Nicole didn’t want to him to leave. “I have thought about it,” she said quickly. “I’d like to give it a try.”
He sat down again. “How about dinner?” he said.
“Tonight? I just had dinner.”
“You can have a drink, then, and watch me eat.”
“We have leftovers I can heat up and a nice bottle of Malbec I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”
As they smiled at each other, Nicole thought maybe she was wrong. It might work out after all.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my daughter, Jennifer, son-in-law John, and granddaughters Anabelle and Lila for all the ways they encourage, support, and cheer on my writing endeavors. I also want to thank my husband Bill for his invaluable advice and for reading every one of the many drafts of this book.
Special thanks, too, to my two technical advisors, real-life PI Cathy Watkins, my brother-in-law Jeff, a retired criminal defense attorney, and my sister Susan Scott. They were invaluable in helping me shape the plot of The Ransom and keep it true to life.
Thanks, too, to Trish Beall, Helen Betts, and Joyce Brownfield for proofreading this book and weeding out glitches in the plot.
About the Author
Nancy Boyarsky is the award-winning author of the Nicole Graves mysteries. Nancy’s books have been compared to Mary Higgins Clark and are praised for contributing to the “women-driven mystery field with panache” (Foreword Reviews) as well as for their “hold-onto-the-bar roller coaster” plots (RT Book Reviews).
The Ransom is Nancy Boyarsky’s fourth Nicole Graves novel. Before turning to mysteries, Nancy coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband Bill Boyarsky. She has written several textbooks on the justice system, as well as articles for publications including the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, and McCall’s. She also contributed to political anthologies, including In the Running, about women’s political campaigns. In addition to her writing career, she was communications director for political affairs for ARCO. Nancy is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a major in English literature. She lives in Los Angeles.
Readers are invited to connect with Nancy through her website: nancyboyarsky.com.
The Nicole Graves Series
by Nancy Boyarsky
The Swap - Book 1
The Bequest - Book 2
Liar Liar - Book 3
Nicole Graves 04: The Ransom Page 20
